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Benefit Auction to Name Character in Sanderson Novel

Right now on EBay, Brandon Sanderson is auctioning off the right to name a character in his upcoming sequel to The Way of Kings. Proceeds benefit “Life, the Universe, and Everything” (LTUE), the science fiction and fantasy symposium held in Provo, UT and now in its 30th year. The high bid is $1525 at this writing.

LTUE [as it was held at my university] was one of the science fiction and fantasy conventions that I attended regularly while trying to break in, and it was always an invaluable experience. Now that my books are published and available worldwide, I like to take opportunities to give back to the community that fostered my development as a fan and as a writer.

Sanderson specifically is offering one person the opportunity to get his or her name (or most likely a variation thereof) used for a significant second-tier character in the next Stormlight Archive book. There’s also a bit of wryly-phrased fine print…

Finally, we hope it doesn’t have to be mentioned but the submitted name will be rejected if Brandon feels that it is in any way offensive, mischievous, or ill-intentioned, or if it is disruptive to the story. This auction is for the name only. The winning bidder may not dictate the character’s personality, description, or role in the story. If the winner supplies any of these things as part of the name submission, Brandon may or may not draw from that when implementing the character in the novel as the story demands.